Method of producing self-adhering gauze bandages



Dec. 21, 19 3- J. A. HINKAMP ET AL METHOD OF PRODUCING SELF-ADHERING GAUZE BANDAGES Original Filed July 13, 1936 Patented Dec. 21, 1943 METHOD OF PRODUCING SELF-ADHERING GAUZE BANDAGES Joseph A. Hinkamp, Chicago, and Harry R. 3111- sel, Lake Bluff, Ill., assignors to General Bandages, Inc., Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois ,Original application July 13, 1936, Serial No.

90,346. Divided and this application Septembet 9, 1939, Serial No. 294,056

- 3 Claims. (01.1.17-66) This is a divisional application of Serial No.

90,346, now Patent NO. 2,190,378.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a method whereby a self-adhering gauze bandage can be produced which will be soft, white and porous and which will retain those characteristics for a considerable period of time.

Another object of the invention is to provide a commercially satisfactory continuous method of producing a latex-impregnated gauze bandage.

While the foregoing statements are indicative in a general way of the nature of the invention,

other more specific objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon a full understanding of the improved bandage and the method employed in preparing the same.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is presented herein for the purpose of exemplification, but it will of course be appreciated that the invention may be embodied and practiced in other slightly modified forms and ways coming equally within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing: I

Fig. 1 is a side view of an apparatus suitable for use in practicing the new method; and

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a roll of the H finished bandage.

The improved bandage has much the appearance of the plain gauze bandage, but it has the additional property of adhering to itself when applied as a wrapping. It is merely necessary to lap the bandage on itself and rub the free end down gently, whereupon firm adherence will be obtained. The bandage will not stick to skin, hair or clothing. It is soft and porous, and is pure white in color, although it may be produced in differentcolors if desired by adding a color to the latex solution or else by using colored gauze to start with.

The bandage is prepared by being impregnated with a small quantity of rubber latex from which the proteins present in the serum are in large measure eliminated in the course of the treatment.

In practicing the invention, a large roll III of ordinary white bleached surgical gauze is mounted on a spindle II and the Web I2 of gauze from the roll is led down into a tank l3 which is filled with liquid latex of approximately 60 per cent rubber content. The 'gauze passes down around a roller M in the bottom of the tank and then leaves the tank and passes between a pair of wringer rollers l5 which squeeze the excess latex out of the gauze. From the rollers the latexsaturated gauze passes down into a second tank the excess acid out of IS which is filled with a solution of acetic acid. A 1% solution will give good results. This solution is preferably kept at about F. temperature by means ofa heating coil l1 beneath the tank, although good results have been obtained when the acid bath is allowed to remain at room temperature. because it tends to speed up the coagulation of the latex. The gauze after entering the tank It passes down around a roller I8 near the bottom of the tank and upon leaving the tank passes between a pair of wringer rollers l9 which squeeze the gauze.

The liquid latex in the tank l3 ordinarily contains ammonia as a preservative and as this ammonia must be neutralized by the acid before any setting of the rubber content can take place some of the latex may wash out of the gauze in the form of a scum. This scum, if subsequently picked up by the gauze as it leaves the acid tank. will spoil the product. To prevent this we direct a blast of air against the gauze in a direction away from the acid bath just before the gauze enters the latter. A fan 20 can be used for this purpose, the fan being located above and beyond the rollers ill at a downward inclination, so as to blow directly against the gauze after the gauze leaves the rollers l5 and before it enters the acid bath. This air current carries off enough of the ammonia to allow the acid to produce a quickcoagulation of the rubber in the latex.

From the rollers 19 the gauze passes downwardly into a third tank 2| which is filled with water which continuously circulates through the tank, entering through the pipe 22 and leaving through the pipe 23. The water in the tank 2| rinses all of the free acid out of the treated gauze. This water is preferably heated somewhat, by means of a heating coil 24 beneath the tank. Upon entering the tank 2| the gauze passes first around a. roller 25 and then around a roller 26 which is spaced horizontally some distance from the roller 25 in order to give the water in the tank ample opportunity in which to circulate through the interstices of the gauze. Upon leaving the tank 2| the gauze is further rinsed by being sprayed with jets of fresh Water from two perforated pipes 28 at opposite sides of the gauze. Beyond the jets the gauze passes upwardly between a pairof wringer rollers 29 which squeeze as much water as possible out of the gauze. From the rollers 29 the gauze is rolled up againinto a roll 30 on a power driven spindle 3|.

The thusly treated roll 30 0f bandage on the spindle 3| may be cut into the desired widths and Some heat is desirable, however,-

lengths dining the rolling up process, or all or the bandage from the roll it may be run into the roll 30 and then the latter removed and transferred to any suitable form of measuring and cutting, machine, the cutting being done either before or aiten the treated gauze has been dried. As the gauze leaves the rinsing tank and approaches the last pair of rollers 28', it is preferably acted upon by a curved blade 32 which serves to keep the gauze spread out laterally so as to present a smooth surface when being rolled up on the spindle 3|.

The gauze which is used is preferably of about 36 x 36 mesh, and the roll maybe 500 yards long and 36 inches wide, although it will of course be appreciated that any other width or length or size of mesh, within reasonable limits, may

' be employed. In passing through the bath of liquid latex in the tank 13 the gauze becomes thoroughly impregnated and saturated with the latex but the rollers I! prevent any appreciable quantity of thelatex from being carried over into the acid bath. As soon as .the gauze enters the acid solution in. the tank I6, the acid immediately neutralizes the alkaline preservative in the latex'and thereupon coagulates or sets the rubber content of the latex, leaving the interstices oi the gauze more or less open and free 'to permit circulation of the acid solution therethrough. Upon subsequently entering the water in the tank 21- the remaining acid is rinsed out of the gauze, which rinsing insures the removal of all the serum or protein content of the latex ,liberated upon the setting of the rubber content.

In place oi the 'air blast provided by the ran 20, a pair of baflles 33 may be mounted in the tank, partly submerged in the acid solution, at

opposite sides of the entering gauze, for confining the scum and preventing. it from floating over and clinging to the gauze which has been treated.

If desired, an additional tank containing a second rinse water and/or an antiseptic bath may be added after the tank 2|, but ordinarily the sterilization of the completed bandage will be effected by heating the packaged bandage in a special oven designed for that purpose.

A small roll 34 or the improved bandage in a l or 2" width, is shown in Fig. 2. It has much the appearance or ordinary gauze but because of its adhering characteristic can take the place of both gauze and adhesive tape.

.We claim:

1. The process of producing a gauze bandage which is soft, porous and self-adherent, without being adherent to skin and hair, and which will retain such characteristics upon aging, without discoloration, which consists in passing a web of gauze through a tank filled with liquid rubber latex containing an alkaline preservative, then removing the excess latex from the gauze upon leaving the tank, then removing a substantial part or the alkaline preservative from the latex remaining on the gauze, then passing the gauze through a tank filled with a coagulating solution, whereby to coagulate the latex remaining on the gauze, then removing the excess solution from the gauze upon leaving' the second tank, and then passing the gauze through a tank. filled with rinse water.

2. .The process of producing a gauze bandage which is soft, porous and elf-adherent, without being adherent to skin and hair, and which will retain such characteristics upon agin without discoloration, which consists in passing a web of gauze through a tank filled with liquid rubber latex containing an alkaline preservative, removing the excess latex from the gauze upon leaving the tank, directing a current of-air against the gauze, passing the gauze through a tank filled with a solution containing a coagulating acid, removing the excess acid from the gauze upon leaving the second tank, and passing the gauze through a tank filled with rinse water.

3. The process of producing a gauze bandage Which'is soft, porous and self-adherent, without being adherent to skin and hair, and which will retain such characteristics upon'a8 8,,without discoloration, which consists in passing a web of gauze through a tank fil1ed with liquid rubber latex containing an alkaline preservative, removing the excess latex from the gauze upon leaving the tank, directing a current of air against the gauze, passing the gauze through a tank filled with a solution containing acetic acid, removing the excess acid from the gauze upon leaving the second tank, and passing the gauze through a tank filled with rinse water.

JOSEPH A. HINKAMIP. HARRY R. BRASEL. 

